Vertical grand piano



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F. SGHIMMEL & S. P. NELSON.

VERTICAL GRAND PIANO.- No. 560,431. uUPatented May 19, 1896 M air-A iiorne yJ (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

P. SGHIMMBL & S. P. NELSON. VERTICAL GRAND PIANO.

No. 560,431. Patented May 19, 1896.

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F. SGHIMMBL & s. F. NELSON. VERTICAL GRAND PIANO. No. 560,431. Patented May 19, 1896.

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(Nb Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 4. F. SCHIMMEL & S. P. NELSON.

VERTICAL GRAND PIANO. No. 560,431. Patented May 19, 1896.

ANDREW LGIAHAMYHUYOLUTNQWASHINETON. I7

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I. SGHIMMEL 82: S. F. NELSON.

' VERTICAL GRAND PIANO.

No. 560,431. Patented May 19, 1896.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6. F. SOHIMMEL 8c S. P. NELSON. VERTICAL GRAND PIANO. No. 560,431. ljfitented May 19, 1896.

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VERTICAL GRAND PIANO.- No. 560,431. Patented May 19, 1896.

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r/dol/n (id/ QTeanbKF 778/) on UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRIDOLIN SCHIMMEL AND SEARIOK F. NELSON, OF FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA.

VERTICAL GRAND PIANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,481, dated May 19, 1896.

$e1'ial No. 526,095. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRIDOLIN SCHIMMEL and SEARICK F. NELsoN, of Faribault, in the county of Rice and State of Minnesota, have invented a certain new and Improved Vertical Grand Piano, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to pianos, and particularly to grand pianos and has for its pri- 1o mary object the production of a grand piano in a vertical form. That type of pianos known as uprights or upright grands have never been favorably compared with those of the horizontal or grand type proper,

I5 the same being deficient in many qualities which the latter instruments possess, lacking the brilliancy, the fine voice qualities, the fullness, volume, and delicacy of touch and tone of the grand piano when well constructed. Two important reasons why these differences exist between upright and grand pianos are, first, that the bass strings of upright pianos are necessarily shorter and overstrung, and,

second, that spring or weight actuated actions are used in upright pianos, with which. the delicate repeating strokes possible with the grand act-ion are entirely lost, the grand action being placed beneath the strings, so that the hammers may fall of their own weight, as distinguished from being drawn back or returned by springs or other unreliable forces.

To overcome these objections, it is therefore our object to provide a piano of greater height than usual and having a frame which will permit of the use of extremely long bass. strings, the treble strings remaining the same as in all pianos, and, second, and quite as important, our object is to provide an action to operate in front of the strings, in which the hammers will be returned by the natural force of gravity, the action having all the qualities of the grand-piano action and yet adapted to its position in front of the strings.

A further object is to provide for the free and uninterrupted upward flow of the soundwaves to and from the instrument and to leave the upper and greater'pa-rt of the strings entirely free in the upper part of the piano.

Further, we have in viewthe securing of several other advantages over both of the old forms of pianos.

Our invention consists generally in a vertical grand piano of the particular construction and combination of parts, all as hcreinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a vertical grand piano embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof on the line a J7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of the iron frame, the strings, and other parts thereon, and showing, further, the interior form of the frame and sounding-board. Fig. 4. is an enlarged detail view of the action shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 5 shows a preferred modification of the action. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate in two positions a further modification of the action.

\Vhile we consider the general exterior form and construction of our piano, as shown in Fig. 1, particularly fortunate and good as being distinctively new, the same is not a requisite to the interior construction of the instrument. The lower part of the pianocase-that is, from beneath the upper edge of the fall-boardis substantially the same as in ordinary upright pianos. The upper part is much higher than usual, particularly at the left hand, the height being increased in order that longer bass strings may be used in the instrument. The right-hand part instead of being extended out to a square corner is preferably cut down and given an ogee form, about two-thirds of the width of the case being so taken up and the curve ending some distance above the fall-board, thus preselwing the general symmetry of form and giving all necessary room for the string-frame within. The front of the instrument is preferably divided into three parts by pilasters or carved columns. The middle panel is employed as a music-rest. The upright back of the instrument is made up of heavy frame or wooden timbers 2, of which the pin-block 3 properly forms a part. The pin-block is placed in the bottom of the piano with the tuning-pins &, and to gain access to the same it is only necessary to remove the lower panel 5 of the case. The sounding-board 5 conforms to the general shape of the frame and is secured firmly therein. The iron frame 6, on which the strings 7 are fastened, is arranged in front of the sounding-board a little distance therefrom, and is firmly fastened to and helps to strengthen the frame of the piano. This frame, as shown in Fig. 3, is preferably so constructed as to permit a straight stringing or parallel arrangement of the strings 7 thereonthat is, the strings being parallel with one another throughout or substantially soas contrasted with the overstrung form or arrangement commonly used in pianos-that is, the form in which the bass strings cross or extend over the treble strings. The space occupied by the treble strings is identical with that of all other forms of pianos; but by the peculiar construction of our instrument and its adaptability to any height the bass strings may be made of any length desired, thereby giving the instrument more than ordinary power. The bridges 7 on the sounding-board, are curved to correspond with the scale adopted by the designer, and here a particular advantage of our instrument may be notednamely, that the bridges which are firmly secured upon the sounding-board do not closely approach the edges or corners thereof at any place, all being practically confined to the fully vibratory parts of the board, therebyinsuring the perfect and complete vibration of the bridges and the board throughout when any of the strings are struck.

As shown in Fig. 2, a large space 10, entirely open and free from obstruction, is provided in front of the strings. The front 11 of the piano-case is set quite as far forward as when room must be allowed for the action of an upright piano.

In our piano the action is placed on alevel with and beneath the keyboard. The key board-frame 12 is set into the casein the usual way, and the keyboard, made up of the keys 13, has the appearance usual in an upright piano. The keyboard is covered by the fallboard, made up of the two hinged parts 14 and 15, the former being pivoted at points 16 at its upper edge and the lower section being pivoted at points 17 near its rear edge. The lower edge of the part 14 rests above the rear edge of the lower part and is supported by fingers 18, extendingfrom the rear end edge of the part 15. lVhen the part is raised, the fingers drop and the lower edge of the part 14 falls into the curve of the fingers and out of the way of the part 15, which may be thrown back against the upper part of the casing, its fingers still holding the part 14 ready to raise the same into its proper position when the forward part is closed. The action has five horizontal rails extending the full width of the piano, and the several movable parts of the action are secured upon thesethe regulating-rail 19, the sticker-rail 20, the actionrail 21, the damper-rail 22, and the hammerrail 23. The first four of these rails are firmly secured and supported upon the action-brackets 24, fastened in the frame of the piano, while the hammer-rail 23 is swung by means of links 25 from the same brackets. The several action-brackets have outwardly-projecting fingers or arms 26, provided with stops against which the hammer-rail 23 is norm all y held by the pedal mechanism.

The hammer-butt 27, from which the hammer 28 depends, is pivoted at its upper and outer corner to the action-rai121.- The natural weight of the butt and hammer holds the hammer back against a soft pad on the hammer-rail and away from the strings. The hammer is actuated through the upright hammersticker 29, the lower end of which is pivoted in the upper and inner corner of the hammerbutt, while the upper end is held in position by the pivotal link or joint 30, connecting the same with the regulating-rail 19. On the upper end of the sticker 29 and the side thereof is the small butt or foot 31, with which the escapingjack 32 engages. This escaping-jack is carried upon the inner end of the key 13, and is rendered vertically adjustable by the use of a lifting-jack 33, arranged upon the key. As more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the liftingjack has its outer end fastened upon the key by a single grooved screw or pin 34, while a small screw 35 extends through the jack and rests upon the top of the key, so that when the screw is turned the jack will be raised or lowered. A spring 36 is interposed between the end of the key or the part 33 and the lower arm of the escaping-jack, which jack is in the form of a small bell-crank. The jack is removed from its engagement with the butt of the sticker when the key is so far raised as to move the lower arm of the jack into engagement with the adjustable stop 37 provided in the regulating-rail 19. This action does not, however, take place until the sticker has been raised far enough to throw the hammer forcibly against the string, it being the last part of the movement of the key only that releases the sticker and allows the hammer to fall back of its own weight.

WVhen the hammer is operated, the damper 38 is withdrawn from the string or strings, as will be hereinafter explained. To secure the delicate repeating action so much desired in pianos, we provide means for regulating the return of the hammer from the wire. Such means consists in the jack and regulatingsticker 39, having an arm 40 on its upper end, which is confined in the space 41 between the liftingjack and the end of the key, while the lower end is pivotally connected with the back-check lever 42, pivoted on the action-rail and bearing the back-check 43 on its outer end. The back-check is adapted to engage the catcher or arm 44, extending from the hammer-butt to within a short distance of the back-check when the parts are in their normal position. The upper end of the sticker 39 is held in position by a pivotal joint or link 45. As the two stickers are raised by means of the key, it is obvious that ICC the back-check 43 will follow the hammer and the catcher at a short distance therefrom, so that after the hammer has struck the string and is released by the escaping-jack the back-check will be in position to limit the backward movement of the hammer, giving time for the action of the repeating-spring i6, which is secured upon the back-check lever and extends through the sticker 39 and through a slot in the hammer-sticker, where, except when the hammer-sticker is raised to its full height, the spring is in engagement with the shoulder of the sticker, to partially counterbalance the weight of the several parts. The spring will yield so gradually that the hammer will not fall far away from the string before the next stroke upon the key causes the back-check to strike the catcher and to again throw the hammer against the string, or if the movement has been sufficient to permit the escaping-jack to return to the butt on the sticker the hammer will be operated through those parts. The damper is secured upon the hanging lever 47, pivoted on the damper-rail 51, and convenient means for operating the damper consist in the weighted arm 48, extending from the dam perlever and adapted to be engaged by a spring or wire hook 49, fastened to the sticker 39, and the hooked end of which extends within the slot or notch 50 provided in the end of the arm 48. The movement of the damper and its arm is limited by a stop-rail 52, and the slot 50 is enough larger than the hook to allow it to play therein.

lVe prefer to modify the action above described somewhat with a view to its simplification, and have shown such a modified action in Fig. 5, wherein the parts 28, 27, 44, 23, 29, 31, 21, 30,19, 32, 37, 39, and 45 remain the same as in Fig. 4. The lifting-jack 33, as shown in Fig. 4, is replaced by a simple arm 34, provided upon the upper end of the jack and regulating-sticker 39 and provided with an adjustable stop 35, with'which the end of the key-lever engages directly. The back-check lever 42 remains substantially the same as in Fig. at, also the back-check 43, depending from the outer end thereof; but the lever is modified to admit the application of the more reliable repeating-lever 55, which is pivoted between lugs 56, provided upon the top of the lever 12, and has an end 57 extending through the slot in the two stickers to engage the upper end of the shoulder of the slot in the hammersticker. This repeating-lever has a very small movement with respect to the lever 42, and the movement in one direction is limited by an adj Listing-screw 5S and in the other direction by a small cushion-spring 59, arranged between the top of the repeating-lever and the head of a screw or pin 60, which itself extends through a slot in the repeating-lever and is secured in the back-check lever 42. The upward movement of the lever is further limited by a wire loop or hook 61, ex-

' tending up from the action-rail 21, serving to prevent the sticker 29 from being raised so far as to move the hammer against the string, and thus destroy the vibration thereof. The arrangement of the muflier or damper is also varied. The damper-lever 62, pivoted on the rail 51 and the wire extension 63 of its upper end, extends into position to be engaged by the lifting-boot 61L, provided on the lower end of the jack and regulating-sticker 30, so that the instant said sticker is raised the damper is moved away from the string. The movement of the damper is preferably limited by a rail (35 and with which the back of the damper and the hook or finger 66 on the damper engage. This rail is connected with a pedal and is used to lift all the dampers at once. The damper is thrown back against the string by a spring 06, arranged between the damperlever and the damper-rail. It will be noted that all parts of engagement between the several action parts are carefully muffled by pads of cloth or soft leather.

The two forms of action herein described are preferred by us above all others as being most simple in construction, and hence cheaper, and also as they occupy less space. These actions are of course provided in connection with each of the keys and for each string or unison.

In Figs. 6 and 7 we have illustrated still another form of the actionone in which but one sticker is employed. The escaping-jack is placed between the back-check lever and the hammer-butt. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, 70 represents the lower end of the single sticker, pivoted to the inner end of the backcheck lever 71, from the outer end of which lever the back-check 72 depends. 7 3 represents the action-rail, 7% the action-bracket, and 75 the hammer-rail swung from the bracket. The damper-lever 7 6 is pivoted on the inner and lower corner of the rail 7 3, and its upper end stands in position to be engaged by the operating-arm 77, depending from the back-check lever 71, which when raised will move the damper from the wire. The hammer 78 is fastened in a butt 79 of altogether different form than those heretofore described, inasmuch as the catcher 80 is formed integral therewith and the butt is pivoted near its middle to the action-rail. The hammerbutt is also provided with an integral part 81, serving as the escapingjacket and to be engaged by the escaping-jack 82. This jack is in the form of an inverted bell-crank, with a long vertical arm, and is pivoted on a lug 823, provided on the under side of the lever 71. A cushion-spring 8i, interposed between the lever 71 and the short arm of the jack, serves to hold the lower end of the jack against the butt, as shown in Fig. 0. This spring, however, is adapted to yield when the lever 71 is thrown down to move the short arm of the jack down against the adjustable stop 85,1ixed upon the hammer-rail. The movement when continued beyond this point results in throwing the hammer forcibly against the string TOO ICS

and finally in disengaging the jack from the hammer-butt. Meantime the back-check will have engaged the catcher on the hammerbutt and will have moved the adjustable stop 86 into engagement with the yielding repeating-spring 87, which is of just sufficient strength to hold the hammer after it has removed slightly away from the string. As this spring 87 is in the form of a U it is necessary to provide a stop 88 on the hammer-butt to limit the outward movement of its free end. In Fig. 6 the parts of the action are shown in their positions of rest, while in Fig. '7 their positions at the instant when the hammer strikes a string are illustrated. The position before the repeating stroke will be the same as Fig. 7, except that the hammer will stand slightly away from the string, the escapingjack would be out, and the back-check would stand a short distance away from the catcher.

I11 all of these actions it will be noted that the hammers are returned by the natural force of gravity and that the pressure upon the key must increase as the hammer approaches the string. This last fact indicates at once that the action of the hammer upon the string may be forced to any extent, the stroke being capable of the finest regulation, varying from the lightest possible, which will still be quick and sharp, to the full power of the player. Such ability to be forced is alone found in the present horizontal grand actions and in our devices or their equivalents disclosed herein. These actions, particularly those first described, and shown in Figs. 4 and 5, are capable of the finest regulation, both as to time and touch and force, and, further, may be regulated to act perfectly under each and all of the most rapid strokes of a player, and, further, the ease of regulating the action for repeating strokes and tones adds What is perhaps their most important advantage.

A further point which should be observed with regard to our piano is that the strokes are applied to the strings at'their lower ends and that the sound-waves caused by the vibration of the strings are entirely uninterrupted in the upper part of the instrument and hence in the fiow therefrom. This alone adds greatly to the power, the fullness, brilliancy, and sweetness of the tones produced from our instrument.

Thus by the aid of the several features of our invention an instrument is produced with which the most delicate effects or those of great brilliancy, power, and volume may be attained, and to those we add the particular advantage of an instrument occupying but a small floor-space, and hence capable of use where otherwise a smaller and comparatively unsatisfactory upright piano would take the place of grand pianos.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, in a piano-action, of a pivoted depending hammer, an upright sticker connected therewith, a back-check to engage a catcher on said hammer, a second sticker connected with said back-check to operate the same, a key connection upon said second sticker, an escaping-jack pivotally arranged on said second sticker, and a butt or stop for said jack upon the first sticker, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with a depending hammer and back-check, of a piano-action, of the hammer and back-check stickers, joints for supporting the same, a butt upon the hammer-sticker, a bell-crank escaping-jack pivoted upon the back-check sticker and adapted to engage said butt, a fixed but adjustable stop to be engaged by said jack, and adj ustable means upon the back check sticker whereby the same may be connected with the piano-key, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a piano-action, of a pivoted depending hammer, the upright hammer-sticker connected therewith, a pivoted back-check lever carrying a back-check, to limit backward movement of the hammer and back-check sticker, means for connecting said stickers with the piano-key, an escaping-jack in connection with said stickers, and a repeating device carried upon said back-check lever and adapted to engage the said hammer-sticker, as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, in an upright-piano action, of a pivoted depending hammer, the hammer-sticker connected therewith, a pivoted back-check lever carrying a back-check, the sticker connected with said back-check lever, means for connecting said stickers with the piano-key, an escaping mechanism provided in connection with the hammer-sticker, and a spring repeating-lever pivoted upon the back-check lever and adapted to engage said hammer-sticker, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination, with the pivoted depending hammer, of the pivoted back-check lever provided with a back-check to engage the hammer, the hammer and back-check stickers, respectively, connected with the hammer andtheback-ch eck lever, the repeating-lever pivoted on the back-check lever and having an end adapted to engage the hammerstickcr, and a spring acting upon the opposite end of said repeating-lever, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in an upright or vertical action, of suitable supports, a depending hammer pivoted upon one of said supports, a hammer-sticker pivotally connected with the butt of the hammer, means for holding the upper end of said sticker in place, a jack-butt provided upon the upper end of said sticker, a back-check lever, a back-check carried thereby to engage a catcher projecting from the hammer-butt, the second sticker pivoted to said back-check lever, means for holding the upper end of said sticker in place, an escaping-jack carried upon the upper end of said second sticker and adapted to engage the butt upon the hammer-sticker, an adjustable stop for the escaping-jack, an adjustable key connection provided upon. the second sticker, a repeating-lever pivoted and carried upon the back-check lever and adapted to engage the hammer-sticker, and a counterbalancing-spring acting upon the other end of said repeating-lever, substantially as described. I

7. The combination, in an upright or vertical piano action, of suitable supports, a de pending hammer pivoted upon one of said supports, a hammer-sticker pivotally connected with the butt of said hammer, means for holding the upper end of said sticker in place, a jack-butt provided upon the upper end of said sticker, a back-check lever, a backcheck carried thereby to engage a catcher projecting from the hammer-butt, the second sticker pivoted to said back-check lever, means for holding the upper end of said sticker in place, an escaping-jack carried upon the upper end of said second sticker and adapted to engage the butt upon said hammer-sticker, an adjustable stop for the escaping-jack, an adjustable key connection provided upon the second sticker, a repeating-lever pivoted and carried upon the back-check lever and adapted to engage the hammer-sticker, a counterbalancing-spring acting upon the other end of said repeating-lever, and means for limiting the throw or movement of said repeatinglever with respect to the back-check lever and for adjusting the same, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a piano-action, of a depending pivoted hammer, the pivoted backcheck lever having a back-check to engage a catcher upon said hammer, the hammersticker, the back-check-lever sticker, an escaping-jack interposed between the upper ends of said stickers, a repeating device provided in connection with said hammer-sticker, a damper, a pivoted damper-lever, and a damper-lifter provided in connection with said lever-sticker, substantially as described.

9. The combination in a piano-action, of suitable supports, with a pivoted hammer, an upright sticker pivotally connected therewith to operate the same, a second upright sticker, a back-check adapted to be actuated by said second sticker and to engage the hammer, the key, and operating means interposed between the key and said sticker, substantially as described.

10. The combination in a piano-action, of suitable supports, and a depending pivoted hammer, a back-check to act upon said hammer, upright stickers having their lower ends pivoted upon said hammer and said back check respectively to actuate the same, an

escaping-jack interposed between said stickers, and a key to operate said stickers, substantially as described.

11. The combination in a piano-action, of suitable supports, with a hammer pivoted thereon, a back-check also pivoted thereon and adapted to engage the hammer, upright stickers having their lower ends pivotally c011- nected with said hammer and said back-check respectively, an escaping-jack carried by the back-check sticker and through the medium of which the hammer-sticker and the hammer are actuated, and a key for actuating said stickers, substantially as described.

12. The combination in a piano-action, of suitable supports, with a hammer pivoted thereon, a back-check also pivoted thereon and adapted to engage the hammer, upright stickers having their lower ends pivotally connected with said hammer and said back-check respectively, an escaping-jack carried by the back-check sticker and through the medium of which the ham mer-sticker and hammer are actuated, and a key operatively connected with the back-check sticker, substantially as described.

13. The combination in a piano-action, of suitable supports, with a hammer pivoted thereon, a back-check also pivoted thereon and adapted to engage the hammer, upright stickers having their lower ends pivotally connected with said hammer and said back-check respectively, an escaping-jack carried by the back-check sticker and through the medium of which the ham mer-sti cker and the hammer are actuated, a key by which the said stickers are operated, and a damper device adapted to be operated by the back-check sticker, substantially as described.

14. The combination in a piano-action, of suitable supports, with a hammer pivoted thereon, a back-check also pivoted thereon and adapted to engage the hammer, upright stickers having their lower ends pivotally connected with said hammer and said back-check respectively, an escaping-jack carried by the back-check sticker and through the medium of which the hammer-sticker and the hammer are actuated, a repeating device interposed between said backcheck and the hammersticker to partially control the action of said sticker and the hammer, and a key whereby the stickers are operated, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 2d day of October, A. I). 1894.

FRIDOLIN SCHIMMEL. SEARICK F. NELSON. In presence of A. D. KEYES, II. B. HILL. 

